AB1103 THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN A LARGE SERIES OF PATIENTS WITH TAKAYASU ARTERITIS
Authors: A. Karakas, T. Yuce Inel, F. Onen, İ. Sari
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2022)

Background Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases faced several challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Uncertainties such as the lack of evidence regarding the use of immunosuppressive (IS) therapies and deferred patient care because of limited health resources impacted negatively on many aspects of treatment decisions and routine follow-up of the patients (1). Objectives We aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the impact of the pandemic on delays in routine clinical follow-up, changes in IS treatment, and COVID-19 vaccination status of patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Methods The study was performed between July and September 2021. TAK patients who registered in our database were investigated with regards to the COVID-19 infection and vaccination status, delays in routine clinical visits, changes in their IS treatments, and flares during the pandemic. Physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging of the patients were performed and ITAS2010 scores were calculated. Results There were 56 adult TAK patients (87.5% female and median age 47 years). 44 (78.6%) patients experienced a delay with routine follow-up visits to their physicians and about 20% of patients stopped their antirheumatic treatments without consulting their physicians. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic, 16 (28.5%) patients were flared. 13 (23.2%) patients had a mild COVID-19 infection. Pneumonia was reported in five patients, two of them required hospitalization, and all patients recovered completely. In the total group, about 90% of the patients had received the COVID-19 vaccine (Table 1). Table 1. Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on patients with Takayasu arteritis Patients with a delay regarding to the routine follow-up visits, n (% ) 44 (78.6) Average delay in routine follow-up visits since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic (months), median, Q1-Q3 3.5 (2.25-9) Patients who don’t receive their treatment regularly due to COVID-19 concern, n (% ) 11 (19.6) Disease relapse compared to the pre-pandemic time, n (% ) 16 (28.6) Progression in acute phase reactants, n (% ) 14 (25) Progression in vascular involvement (according to MR angiography or Doppler ultrasound findings) n (% ) 15 (26.8) Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease, n (%), pre-vaccination / post-vaccination 13 (23.2), 8/5 Vaccination status, n (% ) 50 (90.9) Continuous data is presented with median (interquartile range, Q1-Q3) values and categorical data are presented as counts (n) and percentages (%) Conclusion COVID-19 disease in TAK patients were in mild severity and IS therapy seem not affecting the COVID-19 course. A substantial number of patients who stopped their medications flared and its long-term consequences need to be assessed by large-scale studies. New approaches are required to maximize healthcare access for patients who have chronic diseases during pandemic. References [1]Sanchez-Piedra C, Diaz-Torne C, Manero J, Pego-Reigosa JM, Rúa-Figueroa Í, et al. Clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases treated with biological and synthetic targeted therapies. Annals of the Rheumatic Disease. 2020; 79(7): 988-990. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-217948. Disclosure of Interests None declared